Category Archives: Toronto condos

Neighbourhood Watch: Condo construction activity in downtown’s King & Bathurst area (Part 1)

July 17 2011: The 9-storey King Street facade of Six50 King West

Good fits?: They’re not skyscrapers, but the collection of low- and midrise condo buildings under construction on Adelaide, King and Wellington Streets, between Spadina Avenue and Bathurst Street, are significantly transforming the vibrant west downtown neighbourhood nonetheless. Rising above, between and behind the old brick warehouse buildings that are characteristic of the area, they’re adding contemporary style, colour and flair — along with expensive “to die for” designer penthouses — to the once-gritty and now hot & trendy district.

I manage to visit what some call the “Central King West” area about once or twice a season. I still enjoy its general look and and atmosphere, and find it’s still a comfortable area to walk around. Although some of the new buildings do appear to loom rather large next to their neighbours, they don’t seem overwhelming or out of scale for the streets. So far, at least, the area hasn’t developed the sterile and impersonal “condo canyon” feel or annoying wind tunnel conditions of Bay Street and other downtown streets that keep sprouting skyscrapers. But since some of the projects are only in early stages of construction (three are still below grade, while one is just beginning to break ground), and just as many more are in the development pipeline, it’s possible my impressions of the neighbourhood could change significantly in several years’ time. Until then, I’m sure I’ll find it interesting to keep tracking the progress with each changing season. Below are photos I’ve taken recently of several different condo projects. Photos of additional neighbourhood projects will appear in Part 2.

Lofts 399 at 399 Adelaide Street West

A project of Cresford Developments, Lofts 399 is being built on the south side of Adelaide Street between the two Quad Lofts condos, and will sit back-to-back to the new Victory Condos on King West. My February 20 2011 post has several photos showing earlier construction progress at Lofts 399 and its proximity to the other condos.

From the Lofts 399 project website, an artistic rendering of how the 10-storey, 173-unit building will look when viewed from Adelaide Street.

July 17 2011: Looking from west to east across the Lofts 399 site

July 17 2011: The Lofts 399 foundation begins to take shape

July 17 2011: Looking along the south wall of the Lofts 399 site

July 17 2011: A closer view of the bottom underground level. Lofts 399 will have four floors of below-grade parking.

July 17 2011: Looking across the site toward Adelaide Street West

Victory Condominiums on King

This project by BLVD Developments is approaching completion on the north side of King Street just west of Spadina Avenue. Designed by Rudy Wallman of Toronto’s Wallman Architects, the L-shaped building is 12 storeys tall and has 175 units. My March 13 2011 post and my January 15 2011 post both include photos of Victory during earlier stages of construction.

From the Lifetime Developments website, an artistic rendering of the Victory Condominiums on King West building designed by Toronto architect Rudy Wallman

July 17 2011 : A street-level view of Victory Condos on King West

July 17 2011: The south side of Victory Condos, viewed from across King Street

July 17 2011: Balconies, windows and brickwork on the south facade

July 17 2011: Victory viewed from the southwest on King Street

July 17 2011: Victory Condos offers six penthouse suites. The smallest is an 800-square-foot 2-bedroom unit with 80-square-foot balcony; it was priced at $706,900. The largest is a 2,545-square-foot residence with a 530-square-foot balcony. It carried the eye-popping pricetag of $2,219,900.

July 17 2011: Victory rises behind the brick building at 500 King Street West

July 17 2011: Victory viewed from the intersection of King & Brant Streets

July 17 2011: Another view of Victory from Brant & King

July 17 2011: The upper four floors of south-facing balconies

Fashion House Condos on King West

One of several Freed Developments projects in the popular Central King West neighbourhood, Fashion House Condos was designed by Toronto’s Core Architects Inc. Its red colour accents and striking design are definitely going to make a bold architectural fashion statement on the street. As described on the project website: “a stunning 12-storey glass and steel staircase tower, the intricate platform design sets the stage for large terraces and balconies, while the glass showcases the massive floor-to-ceiling windows.” The 334-unit building is 85% sold. Photos of earlier construction progress at Fashion House can be seen in my April 2 2011 post and in my January 24 2011 post.

From the Fashion House Condos website, an artistic rendering of how the building will look when viewed from the south side of King Street

July 17 2011: King Street view of excavation progress at the Fashion House site

July 17 2011: Looking down on the southeast corner of the construction site

July 17 2011: Looking northwest across the construction site

July 20 2011: Excavation progress viewed from Morrison Street to the northeast

July 17 2011: Overlooking the excavation from the northeast corner of the site

July 20 2011: Morrison Street view toward the south side of the excavation

July 20 2011: A construction worker takes a rest on a woodpile in the pit

Six50 King West Condominiums at King & Bathurst

Another successful (80% sold) project by Freed Developments, Six50 King West is a 236-unit two-building complex with frontage on both King Street and Bathurst Street. The Bathurst wing will be the tallest, rising 15 floors, while the King section will have nine storeys. Like Fashion House, Six50 was designed by Core Architects Inc. Photos of earlier stages of construction can be viewed in my March 30 2011 post and in my January 20 2011 post.

From the Six50 King West condo project website, an artistic rendering of the two-building complex that will front on both Bathurst (left) and King Streets (right)

July 17 2011: Street-level view of the King side of the two-building complex

July 17 2011: The glass-fronted upper floors of the King Street building

July 17 2011: Northeast view of the building during streetcar track replacement work on King Street West

July 17 2011: Northeasterly view of the upper levels of the King Street wing

July 20 2011: Bathurst Street view of construction progress on the west wing

July 20 2011: West sides of the complex viewed from Bathurst Street

July 20 2011: The west wing will rise 15 storeys above Bathurst Street

July 20 2011: Adelaide Street view of the north and east sides of Six50 King West

July 17 2011: Balconies on the northeast side of the Six50 King complex

July 20 2011: Another view of balconies on the east side of the condo complex

July 20 2011: Balconies and windows at the northeast corner of the building

Thompson Residences on King Street West

Freed strikes condo gold — again. Thompson Residences is yet another Freed Developments project on the Central King West strip, just a stone’s throw from its hip Thompson Hotel & condo complex that opened at 550 Wellington Street West in 2010 (and scored a coveted spot on Condé Nast Traveler magazine’s Hot List Hotels 2011). According to the project website, Thompson Residences will offer “hotel inspired living” in 314 luxury condos, lofts and penthouses “loaded with the amenities and services of a top-tier hotel” — along with access to the Thompson Hotel on the other side of Stewart Street to the south. As such, it will be the polar opposite to the former motor hotel that once occupied the site at 621 King Street West.

For this project, Freed chose Saucier + Perrotte Architectes of Montreal, whose design for the 12-storey Residences (actually, two separate buildings situated parallel to each other) is described at length in a February 18 2010 Globe and Mail column by John Bentley Mays. But Freed had to battle the City for approval to build as high as it planned. City zoning permitted a maximum height of 20 meters for the site, but the Thompson Residences buildings will stand 36 and 40 meters tall, respectively. The height dispute wound up at the Ontario Municipal Board, which sided with Freed, and now the project is proceeding. (A short online story in the Toronto Star described the dispute and its outcome, as did a more extensive February 25 2011 Globe and Mail article available to online subscribers.)

Below are several photos showing the Thompson Residences site while the property was occupied by the condo project sales centre after the motel was demolished, and with recent pictures showing some preliminary site preparation and excavation activity.

From the Thompson Residences project website, an artistic rendering of the condominium, designed by Montreal’s Saucier + Perrotte Architectes

March 11 2010: The Thompson Residences site on King east of Bathurst Street. The Thompson Hotel complex at 550 Wellington Street stands at rear left.

November 23 2010: Sandwich board sign outside the showroom

January 14 2011: The Thompson Residences showroom reflects buildings on the north side of King Street in this view, looking east along King

January 14 2011: The old motel sign was re-purposed for the condo project

June 21 2011: Looking west along King Street at the Thompson Residences site

June 21 2011: Preliminary site preparation work is underway

June 21 2011: An excavating machine digging at the west end of site

June 21 2011: Marketing signs on hoarding along the east end of the property

July 17 2011: Looking across King Street toward the Thompson Residences site

July 17 2011: Looking toward the west half of the construction site

July 17 2011: Excavation work continuing at the west end of the property

July 17 2011: Two excavation machines at work on the site

July 17 2011: The Thompson hotel and condo complex on Stewart Street is visible across the Thompson Residences site

July 17 2011: A mound of demolition rubble at the east end of the property

Regent Park construction continues its quick pace

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June 21 2011: Brilliant green Securock glass-mat sheathing panels give 40 Oaks, the Toronto Christian Resource Centre’s 87-unit affordable housing project, a bold presence in the northwest corner of Regent Park …

… but by July 13 2011, the green is beginning to disappear as insulation and cladding is applied to the building’s exterior

June 21 2011: The front entrance to the One Park West condominiums at 260 Sackville Street is still cordoned off as exterior landscaping and sidewalk installation continues …

… but by July 13 2011, the landscaping and sidewalks are complete, the front entrance is open (but awaiting some finishing touches), and One Park West residents have moved into their new condos

June 21 2011: The steel frame for the Regent Park aquatic centre takes shape at the northwest corner of Dundas and Sumach Streets …

… and has more than doubled in width by July 13 2011

June 21 2011: Demolition of low-rise apartments created this large empty plot of land, seen from St Bartholomew Street looking north to Dundas Street …

… which is right next door (to the west) of the Paintbox Condominium highrise currently under construction (right) …

… but by July 13 2011, the property is buzzing with work crews …

… as construction begins on another new Regent Park condo highrise

June 21 2011: The Paintbox Condominium tower has risen to 11 storeys behind the Regent Park Arts and Cultural Centre on Dundas Street …

… by July 13 2011, Paintbox has climbed four storeys higher, with crews beginning to pour concrete for the 16th floor

June 21 2011: A view of construction progress at Paintbox Condominiums from St Bartholomew Street to its southwest …

… and another look at the building, standing four storeys taller, on July 13 2011

At last! Great Gulf breaking ground today for its 70-storey One Bloor condo tower at Yonge & Bloor

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July 13 2011: Construction equipment rises above the One Bloor condo tower construction site, viewed here from the west side of Yonge Street

Shovels ready: It only felt like it was taking forever, but it’s finally going to happen: According to a July 14 2011 article posted on the Toronto Star website, Great Gulf Homes will break ground tomorrow to officially launch construction of its 70-storey One Bloor condo tower at the southeast corner of at Yonge and Bloor Streets.

Frankly, it’s about time. Seven months ago — in a January 10 2011 post, to be exact — I publicly wondered when Great Gulf was going to get shovels in the ground and start building the One Bloor tower on what is often referred to as the “premier” piece of real estate in Canada. During the months that followed, heavy machines rolled on and off of the One Bloor site, hinting that a construction start was imminent. But they didn’t stay for long, and nothing appeared to change on the property. But after foundation building equipment arrived on the site in June, it seemed clear that preliminary construction work for the tower was set to start.

Initially, One Bloor was slated to be a 65-storey condo building with two floors of retail space fronting on the prestigious Yonge & Bloor intersection. However, thanks to strong buyer demand (the Star says 85% of the units in the 732-suite tower have been sold), One Bloor will now soar five storeys taller — topping off at 70 floors. Construction is expected to cost $450 million and last until the end of 2014.

Below are several One Bloor website renderings that suggest how the skyscraper, designed by Toronto’s Hariri Pontarini Architects, will look, along with photos I’ve taken of the project site in recent months.

Condo tower rendering from the One Bloor project website

Condo tower podium rendering from the One Bloor project website

Another tower rendering seen in this screen capture from the One Bloor website

May 1 2011: Trailers on the otherwise vacant south side of the One Bloor condo tower construction site, viewed from the west side of the Xerox Tower

May 1 2011: Looking west across the vacant One Bloor site

May 1 2011: Looking northwest toward the corner of Yonge & Bloor

June 22 2011: A shoring rig on the northern half of the One Bloor site

June 22 2011: Yonge Street view of the shoring rig on the One Bloor property

June 22 2011: Bloor Street view of the shoring rig

July 6 2011: Two shoring rigs ready for action on the building site

July 6 2011: A closer look at the two rigs sitting idle on the site

July 13 2011: More construction equipment and a tent have been brought in for the groundbreaking ceremony

July 14 2011: My balcony view at sunset of skyscrapers near Yonge & Bloor Streets. The 45-storey Casa condominium tower (center) currently dominates the skyline; however, in three or four years’ time, One Bloor — which will rise just to the right rear of Casa — will be the tallest building in the area

8-storey Trinity Lofts throws a curve into condo building boom in downtown’s Lower Eastside

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This rendering of the curvelinear Trinity Lofts building appears on signage posted on hoarding at the condo construction site on Eastern Avenue

July 1 2011: Looking west toward the Trinity Lofts condo construction site and the skyscrapers of Toronto’s Financial District

Curved condo: The sharp bend in the road where Eastern Avenue meets Front Street is going to get a lot more visually interesting for passing motorists in just a few months’ time. Right now, all that passersby can see is a tall red crane soaring above the middle of a wedge-shaped piece of property on the north side of Eastern Avenue, between Trinity and Erin Streets. Behind the poster-covered wooden hoarding that surrounds the site, work is progressing three levels below grade on the foundation for Trinity Lofts, an eight-storey condo building with a dramatic curvelinear design that will match the bend on Eastern Avenue. As building progresses above street level, likely sometime in late summer, passersby will get to watch the curve take shape.

A project of Streetcar Developments, Trinity Lofts will have 81 loft condos in floorplans ranging from a 535-square-foot 1-bedroom (with prices starting at $329,900) to an 813-square-foot 2-bedroom + den with 101-square foot balcony (starting at $491,900). The building will have two townhomes; TH01 is a 1,697-square-foot 2-bedroom with den and 582-square-foot garden going for $809,900. Occupancy is expected for around this time next summer.

Streetcar certainly picked a great location for this project, one of several small condo complexes it has either already built or is currently constructing in the downtown’s booming Lower Eastside (a July 9 2010 article from the Toronto Star describes the various projects). Located one block south of King Street, the building is just a short streetcar ride from the Financial District, only a two-minute walk from the Distillery District, and within reasonably short walking distance of furniture and grocery stores, including the St Lawrence Market. It’s also just a short walk from the new Don River Park that is being built to the southeast as one of the Lower Eastside developments underway for the 2015 Pan Am Games. Loft owners feeling too lazy to walk anywhere won’t have to go far to find wheels — there’s several car dealerships right across the street and around the corner. And the location should feel extra-safe and secure for anyone except fugitives on the lam: It’s right right across Erin Street from the Toronto’s 51 Division police headquarters.

I’ve walked and cycled past the Trinity Lofts site several times in recent months, but haven’t been able to see what’s happening behind the solid wall of construction hoarding. However, the photo below (a screen shot from the Trinity Lofts project website) shows construction progress as of last month. The others are photos I’ve snapped recently showing the condo location viewed from different perspectives on Eastern Avenue.

Foundation construction progress photo from the Trinity Lofts condo project website

July 1 2011: Eastern Avenue view of the construction site, looking north

July 1 2011: The Trinity Lofts condo building site extends along Eastern Avenue from Erin Street (left) to Trinity Street

July 1 2011: Northeasterly view of the site from Eastern Avenue

April 30 2011: Like most new condos, Trinity Lofts will have street-level retail

Clear Spirit condo tower continues upward climb over Distillery District’s southeastern corner

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July 1 2011: Clear Spirit condo tower construction at the Distillery District viewed from Cherry Street looking west toward the CN Tower (rear left)

July 1 2011: Looking from the Queen Street bridge above the Don Valley towards the Distillery District (upper right). Clear Spirit (with crane) will rise 40 floors to overtake the 32-storey Pure Spirit condo tower (top right). The construction zone in the foreground is where the River City condominium complex is being built.

June 21 2011: Clear Spirit rises above the Gardiner Expressway in this view from the bike trail along Cherry Street near the Keating Channel in the port lands.

Rising higher: As the Clear Spirit condominium tower soars taller, it’s becoming a lot easier to spot Toronto’s historic Distillery District on the city skyline. Nearly one-third of the way toward its 40-storey peak height, the condo tower frame and construction crane are now clearly visible from many different parts of downtown and Riverdale. Clear Spirit is the second condo tower that Toronto’s architects Alliance has designed for the Distillery District. The first, Pure Spirit, was built at the northwestern corner of the district in 2009, and stands 32 storeys tall. The Distillery District’s master plan calls for yet another condo tower — the 35-storey Gooderham condominiums — to be constructed on the northeast corner of the property, right next to Clear Spirit, along with what the architects Alliance website describes as “a low ‘ribbon building’ with a planted roof.” Renderings of the various buildings can be viewed at the link I’ve provided to the aA website. Photos of recent Clear Spirit construction progress can be viewed below, while earlier photos can be seen in my March 20 2011 post and in my February 16 2011 post.

June 21 2011: Clear Spirit seen from the bike path along Cherry Street

June 21 2011: The south side of the Clear Spirit tower

June 21 2011: Supervisors checking out the construction

June 21 2011: Clear Spirit viewed from the parking lot along the southwest side of the Distillery District. The building in the foreground is the Pump House; the one in the middle is the Case Goods Warehouse, home of Artscape Studios

June 21 2011: Construction of the Clear Spirit condo tower climbs above The Case Goods Warehouse building

June 21 2011: Looking up the SE corner of the tower

June 21 2011: Distinctively angled floorplates on the tower’s south side

June 21 2011: Clear Spirit and the Gooderham tower will transform a site that is approximately one-fifth the size of the entire Distillery District

June 21 2011: Construction forms protruding from the Clear Spirit tower

June 21 2011: Entrance to the condo’s underground parking garage

June 21 2011 Clear Spirit condo tower construction viewed from Tank House lane near Trinity Street in the Distillery District

June 21 2011: Clear Spirit viewed from outside the Distillery District entrance at Mill and Trinity Streets

July 1 2011: Clear Spirit (left) and Pure Spirit (right) viewed from the intersection of Cherry & Mill Streets. The 35-storey Gooderham condo tower will be built near the left of the area shown in this photo.

July 1 2011: The low-rise building on the corner is one of three Tank Houses now home to the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. The Gooderham tower will be built immediately south of the Young Centre.

July 1 2011: Clear Spirit soaring above the Distillery District’s Tank House Lane entrance off Cherry Street

July 1 2011: Looking up from Cherry Street at the Clear Spirit and its crane

July 1 2011: Construction entrance off Cherry Street

July 1 2011: Project team poster and site plan map

July 1 2011: Looking up at the east side of the building

July 1 2011: The east side of the tower and its podium

July 1 2011: Tall support pillars on the tower’s east side

July 1 2011: One of the support pillars stands at a slight angle

Keeping tabs on … below-grade building progress at the Infinity3 and ÏCE condo tower projects

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July 1 2011: Looking down on the ÏCE Condos building site from the east side of Grand Trunk Crescent. I counted five below-ground floors under construction in the southwest corner (right) where a 57-storey tower is going up. Underground parking floors for its 67-storey sibling are taking shape in the foreground.

July 1 2011: Right next door to the ÏCE Condos site, the underground levels for the Infinity3 condo complex are gradually filling in. This is a view of the southwest corner of the property next to Lower Simcoe Street.

Big basements: The giant L-shaped excavation south of the railway tracks, between York and Lower Simcoe Streets, keeps filling in as construction proceeds on underground levels for the two condominium complexes that will tower above the Gardiner Expressway. The greatest progress appears to have been made in the middle of the site along the property line between the ÏCE Condos development to the east and the Infinity3 Condominium project to the west. There, construction work is visible for five underground levels for Phase I of the ICE Condos complex, a 55-storey cylindrical tower. Right next door, on the west side of the wall, at least three underground levels are in varied stages of construction for Infinity3, which is a project of Conservatory Group.

Meanwhile, since units in Phase I and the 65-storey Phase II tower have completely sold out, builder Lanterra Developments has demolished the ÏCE Condos sales centre that used to sit near the corner of York Street and Bremner Boulevard. A 31-storey office building is planned for the site, but a construction start date for that phase of the project has not been announced. Part of the property is now being used as a pay-and-display parking lot that’s proving to be popular with people driving to the area to attend concert and sports events at the nearby Rogers Centre and Air Canada Centre.

Below are photos showing construction progress on both projects in the last couple of weeks. Previous updates and pictures can be viewed in my April 23 2011 post and my February 25 2011 post.

June 20 2011: A red excavating machine (rear middle of photo) completes demolition work on the former ÏCE Condos sales centre. Units in the two-tower condo complex are completely sold out …

… so the site is now being used as a pay-and-display public parking area

June 20 2011: From Lower Simcoe Street, an eastward-looking view of the Infinity3 project (foreground) and the ICE Condos development (in the back below the blue, yellow and white construction trailers on York Street)

June 20 2011: The Infinity3 complex is going up directly across the street from Infinity1, a 35-storey condo at 30 Grand Trunk Crescent, and Infinity2, a 16-storey condo at 51 Lower Simcoe Street.

June 20 2011: Construction of Infinity3’s underground levels is more advanced on the east side of the property; the west half still has a long way to go to catch up.

June 20 2011: A view of work on two of Infinity3’s underground parking floors

June 20 2011: Progress on three levels is visible at the southwest corner

June 20 2011: A closer view of work on two of Infinity3’s underground floors

June 20 2011: Construction crews working on the ÏCE Condos project

June 20 2011: A worker stands in rebar rods set in place for a concrete pour

June 20 2011: Two Infinity3 construction workers stand on wall construction forms

June 20 2011: Two Infinity3 construction workers guide a bucket of concrete being lowered by one of the two construction cranes operating on the project

July 1 2011: A view of underground level construction toward the north end of the ÏCE Condos building site

July 1 2011: A southeasterly view across the ÏCE Condos site from the sidewalk along Grand Trunk Crescent

July 21 2011: A view of four floors at different stages of construction progress

June 20 2011: Rebar, wall forms and portable toilets on the ÏCE Condos site

June 20 2011: The southwest corner of the ÏCE Condos site is advancing at a significantly faster pace than elsewhere

July 1 2011: A view of the ÏCE Condos site, left, and the Infinity3 property, right

July 1 2011: A view of the western half of the Infinity3 construction site

July 1 2011: Overlooking the middle section of the Infinity3 construction site

July 1 2011: Infinity3 construction approaches street grade near the crane situated next to Grand Trunk Crescent

July 1 2011: Looking to the southeast across the Infinity3 construction zone

July 1 2011: Forms in place to build supporting walls for Infinity3

July 1 2011: Overlooking the eastern half of the Infinity3 construction zone

July 1 2011: Looking to the southeast behind one of the Infinity3 cranes

July 2 2011: Another view of Infinity3 from Grand Trunk Crescent

July 2 2011: There are several spots along Grand Trunk Crescent from which Infinity3 can be viewed through security fencing next to the public sidewalk

July 1 2011: The eastern section of Infinity3 next to the ÏCE Condos property

Classy curves rise above downtown U of T campus as 77 Charles West condo climbs past 10th floor

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July 3 2011: The gracefully curved southwest side of the 77 Charles condo midrise

July 3 2011: Construction progress viewed from the site’s southwest “corner”

June 21 2011: Two of the newly-constructed balconies on the southwest wall

From the 77 Charles website, a rendering of the building’s elegantly curved southwest side. The architect is Yann Weymouth of HOK.

Curves above the campus: The 77 Charles luxury condo midrise is roughly two-thirds of the way to its final 16-storey height with construction of the 11th floor well underway. The north side of the building now holds a commanding presence at the foot of St Thomas Street and has been stealing attention from One St Thomas Residences, its 29-storey black and white limestone condo tower neighbour on the north side of Charles Street.

77 Charles would be turning even more heads if it were situated on a busier street with two-way traffic where passersby could get a better look at its unique design. What I think is the building’s most appealing architectural feature is its distinctive southwest side, featuring gracefully curved glass walls and balconies overlooking the leafy University of Toronto campus. But you actually must be on the campus to take a close look, and the road with the best vantage point — St Mary Street — is a cul-de-sac terminating just a few dozen metres to the southwest of 77 Charles at the university’s Burwash Hall. Since St Mary is not heavily-travelled as a result, it will be mainly university students and staff who will get to admire 77 Charles’s curves — and even then many might not notice, unless they glance up the driveway between Rowell Jackman Hall and Loretto College on the north side of St Mary. The curves are obvious from Charles Street, too, but since it’s a westbound one-way road, only eastbound pedestrians will see them.

Below are photos I’ve taken in recent months of construction progress at 77 Charles. Earlier construction photos can be viewed in my April 7 2011 post and my February 15 2011 post, which also includes detailed information about the condo building’s neighbourhood. A project of Aspen Ridge Homes, 77 Charles was designed by Yann Weymouth of HOK Architects.

April 22 2011: 77 Charles rising at the south end of St Thomas Street

April 22 2011: Construction viewed from Charles Street, looking southeast

April 22 2011: The ground floor at 77 Charles. The first three floors will be the new home for Kintore College, a residence and cultural centre for female university students.

June 21 2011: 77 Charles now totally dominates the view down St Thomas Street

June 21 2011: Some suites are still available — for prices starting at $1.2 million

June 21 2011: Street-level view from the north side of Charles Street

June 21 2011: The curved southwest side as seen from St Mary Street, between U of T’s Rowell Jackman Hall (left) and Loretto College (right). The One St Thomas Residences condo tower rises to the northeast.

June 21 2011: St Mary Street view of the curves on 77 Charles

July 3 2011: Street-level view from the north side of Charles Street

July 3 2011: Looking up from the north side of Charles Street

July 3 2011: The curved wall viewed from the northwest on Charles Street

July 3 2011: A closer view of the building’s angles, seen from the northwest

July 3 2011: Lower levels on the south side of 77 Charles, behind Loretto College

July 3 2011: Looking up from the southwest corner of the building

July 3 2011: South view of condo floors above the 3-storey Kintore College podium

July 3 2011: Looking up at the southwest side of the building

July 3 2011: Another view of construction from behind Loretto College

July 3 2011: Curved balconies and upper floors on the building’s southwest side

July 3 2011: The walls and balconies will be sheathed in glass

July 3 2011: Another south view of the curves on 77 Charles. The brown brick wall at right is the west side of Loretto College.

Demolition of former retail plaza underway at Jarvis/Dundas site for 46-storey Pace condo tower

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July 1 2011: A view of the southwest corner of Jarvis and Dundas Streets …

… where half of the small strip plaza that once occupied the site has been demolished to make way for construction of the 46-storey Pace Condos tower

March 22 2011: This is what the plaza looked like before demolition started

Strong sales: There isn’t much left of the small retail plaza that formerly sat at the southwest corner of Dundas and Jarvis Streets, home to a convenience store, coin laundry and restaurants until late last year. This week, a demolition machine began to destroy the single-storey structures that used to occupy the property on which developer Great Gulf Homes plans to construct Pace Condos. According to the rezoning application that Great Gulf filed with the city in March, the proposed 46-storey tower will have a 10-storey podium and five underground levels, and will contain 417 condominium suites. The Pace Condos website indicates that 27 different floor plans are available for units ranging from small studios to 1- and 2-bedroom apartments, along with “family suites” offering 3, 3.5 or 4 bedrooms. Design-wise, Pace Condos will be “a paragon of architectural brilliance,” the website gushes. “Pace is a shimmering glass tower artfully placed on a podium comprised of dark charcoal-coloured bricks. This is urban elegance at its best. This is eye-catching, eye candy design the likes of which the city has never seen,” it adds. Curiously, the website doesn’t credit Toronto’s Diamond + Schmitt Architects, the firm behind the tower design it lauds so highly, although it does mention that “custom kitchens” will be designed by Ciccone Simone.

When I first wrote about the Pace Condos project in my March 22 2011 post, I noted that the building location is a seedy area on the edge of one of Canada’s poorest residential districts. While I personally wouldn’t want to live in the neighbourhood, nor would any of the friends with whom I have discussed the condo project, I did acknowledge that Great Gulf would probably find plenty of eager buyers willing to pay to live there. It looks like that has indeed been the case: According to the project website, 14 of the condo’s 27 floorplans have already sold out.

Below is a screenshot — from the Pace Condos website — showing how the proposed tower will look, along with several more photos I took today of demolition progress on the building site.

From the Pace Condos website, an architectural illustration of the glass tower and its 10-storey dark charcoal-coloured brick podium

July 1 2011: A view of the Pace Condos site from outside the Hilton Garden Inn Toronto/City Centre on the northeast corner of Dundas & Jarvis

July 1 2011: The former convenience store building has been reduced to rubble

July 1 2011: Only the south wall of the former retail businesses is left standing

July 1 2011: The former coin laundry building is partially demolished

July 1 2011: A view of the Pace Condos site from the north side of Dundas Street. The Grand Hotel & Suites Toronto is the tower at left, while the highrise at right rear is a condominium; both are located on Jarvis Street just south of Dundas.

July 1 2011: Another view of the site from the north side of Dundas Street

July 1 2011: Demolition will resume after the Canada Day holiday weekend

July 1 2011: A view of the site from Jarvis Street, looking west

Couture condo tower begins climb above grade

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June 22 2011: Forms for first floor walls stand in place as construction of the Couture Condominium tower climbs above street grade (seen here looking north from street level behind Couture’s neighbour, X Condos).

June 22 2011: Concrete walls for the first floor rise above the street near the tower’s northeast corner and right beside the construction crane

June 22 2011: A view of first floor construction progress, looking to the northeast

June 22 2011: First floor takes shape near the building’s northeast corner

June 22 2011: X Condos looms to the south as Couture’s first floor rises

Couture’s climb: Just weeks ago there was still a huge hole in the ground where the Couture Condominium tower has been under construction. Now that the underground levels are almost finished, the tower is pushing above grade, and walls for the first floor of the 44-storey skyscraper are taking shape. Passersby will no longer have to peer into a large pit to watch the tower’s progress — it’s all straight up from this point. Below is a series of photos chronicling Couture’s construction progress at various times this spring.

April 22 2011: The foundation’s southern third slowly fills in …

… by June 5 2011, it has made great strides in catching up …

… and by June 22 2011 most — but not all — of the foundation is finished

April 22 2011: Foundation viewed from the southeast corner, looking north …

… by May 1 2011 crews haven’t yet made tremendous progress on the SE corner …

… but on May 31 2011 they’re placing forms for the first floor concrete pour …

… and by June 22 2011, the corner has filled in right up to street level

May 1 2011: This view from the southeast corner shows how much work remains to be done on the foundation’s southern section …

… but by June 22 2011 most of the foundation has filled in up to grade

May 1 2011: Looking to the southwest, wall forms are seen approaching grade …

… and by June 22 2011 forms begin to rise high above the street

May 1 2011: Looking south at foundation progress at the front of Couture, along Ted Rogers Way (a.k.a. Jarvis Street) …

… by June 22 2011, the stretch of property along Ted Rogers Way is fully filled in

April 22 2011: Four underground levels visible from the site’s southeast corner

April 22 2011: Looking north across the center of the construction site

April 22 2011: Looking north across the west side of the site

April 22 2011: The view from the site’s southwest corner

April 22 2011: Looking across the site toward Ted Rogers Way

April 22 2011: The southeast corner has a lot of catching-up to do

April 22 2011: Looking west across the southern third of the Couture site

May 1 2011: Underground floors on the southern section slowly start to fill in

May 1 2011: Looking down into the southeast corner of the foundation

May 31 2011: Forms being put in place to prepare for concrete pour for the street-level main floor

May 31 2011: Another view of grade-level work on the northern third of the site

June 5 2011: Most of the foundation starts closing in on street level

June 5 2011: Looking across the Couture foundation from the southwest corner

June 22 2011: Looking south along Ted Rogers Way as Couture starts climbing above the street

June 22 2011: Looking west across the northern third of the Couture site

June 22 2011: Looking northwest from Ted Rogers Way

June 22 2011: Street-level floor nearly complete at the south end of the site

June 22 2011: The southwest side of the building isn’t completely at grade yet

June 22 2011: Part of the first underground level remains to be closed in

Condo tower in the works for 2 Gloucester Street?

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June 22 2011: Constructed in 1888, the Gloucester Mews building at 2 Gloucester St. / 601 Yonge St. was originally a Masonic Hall. A rezoning application for the property has been filed with the City.

How big? How tall?: Originally constructed as a Masonic Hall, and currently housing loft condos, retail shops and restaurants, the elegant red brick Gloucester Mews building that has graced the northeast corner of Yonge & Gloucester Streets for the past 123 years could soon become part of a condo tower development project.

According to a development projects entry on the City’s website, an official plan amendment and rezoning application for 2 Gloucester Street was filed earlier this month. However, the website provides no further details about the June 10 application, such as the size or height of whatever building a developer may be planning for the site.

It’s no secret that the heritage building and its next-door neighbours to the east — the Fire on the East Side restaurant and bar at 6 Gloucester Street, along with Olympic 76 Pizza and Fly Nightclub at 8 Gloucester Street — have been in property developers’ sightlines for quite some time. Architects and urban planning consultants identified the properties as a suitable condo tower site several years ago, and city planners told public meetings I attended this past spring that highrise condo development on the corner site was inevitable. Also this spring, word circulated amongst area residents that the Fire on the East Side building had been sold to a developer. What hasn’t been certain, though, is just how big and how tall a developer will seek to build there. I expect those details will be released soon. And until that information is available, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the Gloucester Mews — one of my favourite downtown buildings — will be retained as part of whatever development occurs, rather than being reduced to a mere facade. I’m sure many Toronto heritage enthusiasts will be hoping and praying that it’s left alone, too, but I won’t be surprised if it isn’t.

According to architectural journalist Patricia McHugh’s Toronto Architecture: A City Guide (Mercury Books 1985), the Gloucester Mews/Masonic Hall was for “many years the tallest building on Yonge Street north of Dundas.” She noted that the Masons met in a fourth floor hall “for 33 years until 1921 when a new Masonic building was constructed at Davenport and Yonge.” In 1972, the firm Adamson Associates renovated the Masonic Hall, joining it to the “Bay-n-Gable” house at 8 Gloucester with a two-storey glass link. “Though still called Gloucester Mews, the shops-around-a-courtyard mews plan was early abandoned to allow Fenton’s Restaurant to fill the glass-covered interior space as well as the old house,” McHugh wrote.

Below are some photos I snapped this afternoon of Gloucester Mews and its neighbours.

June 22 2011: Lower south side of Gloucester Mews building

June 22 2011: Upper floors of the 5-storey Gloucester Mews building

June 22 2011: The gated entrance to 2 Gloucester Street is next door to the Fire on the East Side restaurant and bar at 6 Gloucester Street (right)

June 22 2011: Fire on the East Side restaurant & bar at 6 Gloucester

June 22 2011: Olympic 76 Pizza and Fly nightclub at 8 Gloucester Street

June 22 2011: 2, 6 and 8 Gloucester viewed from Gloucester Lane

June 22 2011: Looking south on Gloucester Lane outside the “back” (east side) of 8 Gloucester Street. The Norman Jewison Parkette extends from Isabella to Gloucester Streets on the other side of the parking strip.

City Scene: $28M condo penthouse in the clouds

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Penthouse in the mist: Clouds and fog swirl around the top floors of the Four Seasons Toronto Hotel & Residences tower in this photo shot this afternoon. The skyscraper, which is under construction in Yorkville, made headlines last month when an undisclosed buyer from outside the country purchased the 9,038-square-foot 55th floor penthouse for $28 million — the highest price ever paid for a condo anywhere in Canada. But as today’s weather proved, money can’t buy everything — especially a glorious penthouse view on a rainy day.

City Scene: Four new towers in north downtown

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June 21 2011: A Broadview Avenue view of four new glass and steel towers that rise high in the Bloor-Yorkville area. At far left is Casa Condominium; in center are X Condos and James Cooper Mansion Condos; at far right with the construction crane is the Toronto Four Seasons Hotel & Residences.

Sidewalk along east side of Bay Street taped off after glass falls from Murano condo towers — again

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3:15 p.m.: “Caution” tape blocks the east sidewalk on Bay Street, seen here looking south from Grosvenor toward Grenville Street. A security guard told me the sidewalk was closed as a safety precaution after glass fell from one of the Murano condo towers sometime today.

Overhead dangers: The sky isn’t falling this week, but you can forgive many Toronto motorists and pedestrians for thinking that it is. Yesterday, a 10-pound chunk of concrete fell from the Gardiner Expressway onto Lake Shore Boulevard near Bathurst Street, forcing the temporary closure of two lanes of traffic while crews cleaned the road and inspected the elevated expressway for additional loose pieces. (Further information about that is available in a Toronto Star article published today as well as a story that appeared in yesterday’s Globe and Mail.) Then, sometime today, glass apparently fell from one of the Murano condo towers on Bay Street, forcing building management to tape off pedestrian access to most of the sidewalk on the east side of Bay between Grosvenor and Grenville Streets as a safety measure.

Today’s broken glass/sidewalk closure incident is the latest in a series that have occurred at the popular downtown condominium complex for more than a year. A project of Lanterra Developments, Murano is a pair of attractive glass and steel condo towers that soar 45 and 37 storeys above the east side of Bay Street, between Grosvenor to the north and Grenville to the south. As I reported in a January 18 2011 post, there were three occasions last year on which glass balcony panels either shattered or loosened and fell from the towers. In April 2010, a balcony panel apparently plunged from one of the towers, smashing and cracking several panes of a glass canopy that extends along the condo building exterior above the Bay Street sidewalk. When two more balcony panels broke last September the local media took note, with the Toronto Star publishing a September 18 2010 report headlined “Shattered glass rains down from condo tower.” Just before Christmas, I noticed that a balcony panel on the south side of the North Tower had been replaced with a piece of wood, while in late January I saw a board on yet another balcony on the other side of the same tower (see my February 2 2011 post for photos of that, as well as pics of a temporary wood panel on a balcony at the 46-storey Casa Condominium on Charles Street East). There were no reports of injuries in any of the incidents. For most of 2010 and much of this past winter, however, scaffolding was kept in place to protect pedestrians using the sidewalks outside the Murano towers. Meanwhile, replacements for the broken and cracked panels on the canopy above the sidewalk were not installed until sometime in April of this year.

Early in May, I noticed that most of the scaffolding had been removed from the sidewalks, while just a week or two back I saw that the sidewalks were completely clear for the first time in many months. When I was heading north on Bay Street in midafternoon today, however, I encountered yellow and red “caution” tape that had been strung across the trees in front of the Murano complex, blocking most of the sidewalk from pedestrian use. Only a narrow section, with barely enough room for two pedestrians to pass each other, remained open alongside the curb. A disabled man in a motorized wheelchair came along and noticed, to his chagrin, that the section of sidewalk still open for passage was not wide enough for his chair. He proceeded to drive under the “caution” tape, which snagged on his headrest and ripped away from the trees as he rode up the middle of the sidewalk. A security guard wearing a white hardhat came racing toward him, gesturing for the man to drive his wheelchair along the edge of the sidewalk next to the road. “You can’t go up here! It’s dangerous!” he warned.

When I asked why the sidewalk was taped off, the security guard said it was because “glass fell from the tower.” He did not know whether the glass had fallen from a broken window or a balcony panel. All he could tell me was that glass had fallen to the street and the sidewalk had been cordoned off as a safety precaution. “It’s very dangerous for you here,” he told me, before scurrying down the street to replace the tape that had been torn loose by the wheelchair (several pedestrians had started walking up the middle of the sidewalk since the tape was no longer in place to indicate it was off-limits.) I didn’t see broken glass anywhere on the sidewalks; if there had been any, it had already been swept up. A police car was parked on Grosvenor outside the entrance to the Murano North Tower but, apart from the “caution” tape, there was nothing to suggest anything “dangerous” had happened. Nevertheless, I wonder if I’ll once again see scaffolding above the sidewalk next time I walk past the Muranos?

Below are two more pics showing the taped-off sidewalk today, along with photos I took during the winter of the missing and cracked canopy panels and their replacements.

June 21 2011: Red caution tape blocks the Bay Street sidewalk beside the Murano Condo towers, seen here looking north from Grenville Street.

June 21 2011: Red and yellow tape tied to trees blocks the Bay Street sidewalk next to the Murano condos, seen here looking south from Grosvenor Street.

March 29 2011: One glass panel is cracked and others are missing from the canopy that extends above the sidewalk from the west side of the Murano towers

March 29 2011: Looking up at the 45-storey Murano Condos South Tower through the space where a panel is missing from the canopy above the Bay Street sidewalk

March 29 2011: Looking up at the Murano’s North Tower, left, and South Tower

April 30 2011: New panels have recently been installed in the canopy

April 30 2011: The glass podium of the Murano towers reflects the Burano condo tower — another Lanterra Developments project — currently under construction on the west side of Bay Street

L Tower asserts its presence on The Esplanade as condo construction climbs above fifth floor

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June 20 2011: L Tower construction dominates the west end of The Esplanade as the condo tower rises past the 5th floor on its way to 57 storeys

November 9 2010: Last fall, supply trucks had a bigger presence on The Esplanade than did construction of the L Tower condo tower itself

High Five: It doesn’t take long for new building construction to make a major impact on the look and feel of a downtown street, as the L Tower condominium highrise demonstrates. Just five months ago, anyone heading west on The Esplanade, near Scott Street, could see only a tall white construction crane, hoarding and supply trucks as they approached the building site. They had to get within less than half a block of Yonge Street before they could see any signs of the base being built for the 57-storey condo tower. It’s a completely different story now that L Tower is five floors high — and counting. The construction is visible from much farther east on the Esplanade, and L Tower already dominates the western end of the road at Yonge Street. It won’t be much longer before L Tower climbs above the Sony Centre next door and begins asserting its presence on the city skyline, too. Designed by New York-based Daniel Libeskind, L Tower is a project of Fernbrook Homes, Cityzen Real Estate Group and Castlepoint Realty Partners. Below is a series of photos comparing construction progress since February, followed by several more photos taken today. Further information about the condo project, along with pics I took during earlier stages of construction, is available in my March 8 2011 post.

February 3 2011: Construction of the tower base begins rising above the street …

March 7 2011: Construction has reached the second level …

April 21 2011: L Tower has almost blocked sight of the federal government building on the west side of Yonge Street …

June 20 2011: The federal building is now barely visible from The Esplanade

March 7 2011: Construction inches above the hoarding along Yonge Street …

April 21 2011: In just six weeks, the condo tower construction now commands attention from Yonge Street

March 7 2011: The Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, next door to L Tower, is visible through this entry gate at the corner of Yonge & The Esplanade …

June 20 2011: The Sony Centre is now barely visible behind the L Tower

March 7 2011: Skyscrapers in the Financial District are visible to the north of the L Tower site in this view from The Esplanade …

April 21 2011: L Tower is gradually blocking the skyscrapers from view …

June 20 2011: Only the top floors of the BCE Place towers remain visible from The Esplanade — and will soon be blocked as L Tower climbs higher

June 20 2011: Looking northeast from Yonge Street at L Tower’s progress

June 20 2011: Distinctive angles accent the tower’s southwest corner

June 20 2011: L Tower will soon overtake the Sony Centre in height

June 20 2011: L Tower begins climbing into view from the south; this photo was taken on the north side of Lake Shore Blvd. near Bay Street

Proposed 62-storey “Casa 2” condo tower would soar 202 metres high at 42 Charles Street East

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42 Charles Street East condo development proposal notice

This drawing of the proposed 62-storey condo tower appears on the project development notice outside 42 Charles Street East

Going tall on Charles: Area residents had been hearing rumours for months, and knew it was only a matter of time before a condo development application for 42 Charles Street East would be filed with the city planning department. What they didn’t know for certain was how tall the condo tower proposed for the site — presently occupied by a a nine-storey YMCA building — would be. While real estate websites had been claiming that Cresford Developments was going to announce plans for a spectacular 64-storey skyscraper, some people who live in two recently-built Cresford condos on Charles Street told me they had heard it would be “only” 50 to 55 floors instead. But the May 13 development application put all speculation to rest. It proposes a 58-storey tower rising 186.7 metres atop a four-storey (16-metre) podium.The tower would have 570 condo units, two lobbies (one off Charles Street, the other off Hayden Street to the north), five levels of underground parking with spaces for 215 vehicles, and 230 bicycle parking spots. Building amenities would be provided in the podium and atop of the podium’s roof.

Cresford is the developer that recently built two other condo towers on Charles: the 46-storey Casa Condominium tower at 33 Charles Street East, and the 32-storey Bloor Street Neighbourhood (BSN) condo at 38 Charles Street East. When word got out that Cresford had purchased the YMCA property, condo tower fans and foes alike immediately started speculating that a “Casa 2” was in the works. If approved by the city, Cresford’s latest condo won’t be the only new tower rising on the one-way street in the popular Bloor-Yorkville area. Demolition of an eight-storey office building at 45 Charles Street East is expected to commence next month, to make room for construction of the 39-storey Chaz on Charles condominium. But if Cresford gets the go-ahead, its tower will easily dwarf the 138-metre Casa, as well as the 163-metre, 51-storey Manulife Centre two blocks west. Looks like Charles Street is destined to become the “condo canyon” I wondered about in my March 1 2011 post after all.

June 11 2011: The YMCA building that currently occupies 42 Charles Street East

June 6 2011: The silhouette of the 46-storey Casa Condominium tower dominates the Bloor-Yorkville area in this sunset photo I shot from my balcony. If approved, the 62-storey tower proposed for 42 Charles St. E. would soar high above Casa barely a stone’s throw to its east.

Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing
Building Boom.

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Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing Building Boom.

Category Archives: Toronto condos

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Couture condo tower begins climb above grade

Condo tower in the works for 2 Gloucester Street?

City Scene: $28M condo penthouse in the clouds

City Scene: Four new towers in north downtown

Sidewalk along east side of Bay Street taped off after glass falls from Murano condo towers — again

L Tower asserts its presence on The Esplanade as condo construction climbs above fifth floor

Proposed 62-storey “Casa 2” condo tower would soar 202 metres high at 42 Charles Street East

Tracking Downtown Toronto's AmazingBuilding Boom.

Tracking Downtown Toronto's Amazing
Building Boom.